Theory of Evolution: The Evolution of Hox Cluster Essay

According to Darwin and his theory on evolution, organisms are presented with nature’s challenge of environmental change. Those that possess the characteristics of adapting to such challenges are successful in leaving their genes behind and ensuring that their lineage will continue. It is natural selection, where nature can perform tiny to mass sporadic experiments on its organisms, and the results can be interesting from extinction to significant changes within a species.

- There are many mutations that happen naturally within DNA sequences over time. Most are minor, and have little effect upon an organism. However, some mutations actually provide species with useful adaptations that could help them evolve into more efficient species. Some mutations on a catalytic site completely alter the functioning state of a protein.

The main controversy creationist have with accepting the theories of evolution is how all different life forms were produced using genetic material that was present and reproduced from the first living cells. Yet this claim has not fully been proved correct, scientific discoveries and theories have given it great justice so far. Aside from genetic variation, crossbreeding, survival of the fittest etc. Such drastic changes from species to species are due to mutations. In most eyes, mutations are considered to be harmful and destructive. Which is true in some cases, but they are also beneficial in the case of genetics and evolution. Many helpful mutations are incorporated into the normal genotype through natural selection, and when harmful mutations do occur the process of natural selection kills that mutation off. Without randomly occurring mutations, there would have been no development of life and no evolution would have taken place.

The Evolution Lab simulates environmental situations to determine effects on evolution over periods of time. This lab experiments with the evolution of finches on two different islands over 100, 200, and 300 years. By manipulating parameters that influence natural selection, the effects that natural selection have on the evolution process can be studied.

1. What is a mutation? A permanent change in the DNA sequence of a gene.

Natural sources of variation include: mutations, gene flow, and genetic shuffling. Mutations are random changes in DNA that result in beneficial, harmful, or no changes in an organism. Gene flow can also be referred to as migration. It is the exchange of genes of individuals from one population to another. Genetic shuffling occurs in meiosis when alleles switch to create new combinations of genes. The steps of natural selection are overproduction, variation, competition, and selection. Overproduction is important because it keeps the species from becoming extinct and allows for more variation in offspring. Variation is what can either help the organism have a higher chance of surviving or could lower the chance of surviving.

Natural selection involves the adaptation of a species to better survive in their designated environment. When organisms reproduce, they pass down their DNA to their offspring. For example, a child that is tall is the result of their parent being tall as well. Parents pass down traits to their children. When it comes to survival, some organisms are better at it than others based on the traits that they have acquired. Some organisms can camouflage from predators while members of the same species do not obtain that same trait. With that in mind, the ones that can camouflage will most likely survive in certain environments and they will then pass on that trait when they reproduce. Since these traits are advantageous, they are passed on to more and more offspring through time and it will eventually overcome any original traits that species first started out with. It’s kind of like the current state of sexual misconduct in Hollywood. We have our directors, actors, agents, and so forth. However, as time goes on, some do not survive in the business based on their inherently evil traits and they get weeded out just like some species in the wild. As generations pass, these organisms have then adapted to fit the environment and better survive based on their inherited traits.

According to Dr. James Krupa of The University of Kentucky “evolution is the foundation upon which all biology rests.” In biology, evolution is the genetic change in characteristics over generations and is dependent on the process of natural selection. ‘The theory of evolution is based on the idea that all species are related and gradually change over time’ (Genome Campus, 2017). Genetic variation is vital to evolution as it affects the physical characteristics or phenotypes of morphology. Natural Selection is affected by environmental factors that act upon a population and result in the mutation of organism through offspring. These mutations enable individuals to adapt to their environments in order to survive, find food, avoid predators and

The descendants of the species have been given changes from their ancestors. This is called natural selection. Natural selection is a type of evolution that animals go through when there is a hardship in their natural habitat. Most animals go through natural selection to survive, they can pass it on to their kin.

Evolution is the process of change in a given population. There are 2 possible ways this change can happen. One way is through the difference in abilities of individuals to survive and reproduce. These differences, or variation, are largely created by genetic mutations in the DNA, ultimately making each individual different from one another. This idea of variation can be shown in Figure 2, where even though they are all the same species in Daphne Major, Medium Ground Finches, they all have a variety of different Beak Depths. This difference among each Finches forces some to have a natural advantage while others to have a natural disadvantage, purely based on the environmental conditions. This is mainly because some traits are more well adapted

A mutation is a change made to the sequence of a base in the DNA. This change occurs mainly in the chromosomes or nucleotides; however, mutations that occur in a egg or sperm cell are the cause of generic variation. This mutation can be inherited by offspring.

The four common forces of evolution are: mutation, natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow. Evolution transpires when one or more of instances occur. Mutations are a random hereditary change of DNA capable of passing from the parent to the off spring within each person’s own DNA. Natural mutations occur when cells are copied and begin to divide. The Genetic drift is a random change in allele frequency from one generation to the next and will have a greater impact in smaller populations. However, the genetic flow is a separated population of species that come in contact and will begin to breed and exchange DNA but also works to decrease the variations between the two different kind’s species. Natural selection is the process that

There are many definitions of what constitutes an adaptation and a great debate amongst many famous biologists and philosophers, each championing their own definition of adaptation. Historical definitions include the ‘design’ oriented approach of Williams, who claims

To begin with, mutations (any change in the DNA sequence of an organism) introduce new genetic information into a population by altering alleles (a form of a gene usually arising through mutation) that are already present. Occasionally, a mutation introduces a new allele into the gene pool of species. On the other hand, a mutation may introduce an allele that was deficient in a local population. Meanwhile, it is present in other populations of species. All the different

Biological evolution is the name for the changes in gene frequency in a population of a species from generation to generation. Evolution offers explanation to why species genetically change over years and the diversity of life on Earth. Although it is generally accepted by the scientific community, Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution has been studied and debated for several decades. In 1859, Darwin published On The Origin of Species, which introduced the idea of evolutionary thought which he supported with evidence of one type of evolutionary mechanism, natural selection. Some of the main mechanisms of evolution are natural selection, mutation, and genetic drift. The idea that all life on Earth shares a common ancestor has been around for